Oldest U.S. Senator Says Heartbreaking Goodbye to ‘Beth’

Sen. Chuck Grassley is mourning the loss of one of the most dependable companions in his life — his nearly 50-year-old vacuum cleaner.

The 92-year-old Iowa Republican delivered the sad news Saturday, revealing that “Beth,” his longtime household workhorse, has officially cleaned her last floor.

“U willl see Beth no more,” Grassley wrote on X alongside a photo of the aging vacuum, which showed ominous black burn marks near the electrical cord.

“See black that’s from electrical sparks. It’s not safe to use anymore,” he explained.

Then came the emotional farewell.

“GOOD BYE BETH. U hv been a real workhorse. Ur namesake still is hard worker. I will miss u.”

U willl see Beth no more See black that’s from electrical sparks. It’s not safe to use anymore. GOOD BYE BETH . U hv been a real workhorse. Ur namesake still is hard worker. I will miss u pic.twitter.com/Zu5dAtDyvZ

— Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) August 8, 2026

Grassley followed up with another post declaring, “It’s a sad day,” and revealing just how long Beth had been part of the family.

According to the senator, the vacuum worked dependably for 34 years inside his own home after already putting in another 15 years at his mother-in-law’s house — giving the machine an astonishing service life of roughly 49 years.

That is considerably longer than many marriages, careers and political administrations.

Grassley’s attachment to Beth was no secret.

Back in 2023, he proudly showed off the trusty vacuum while preparing for his family’s Thanksgiving celebration at the farm.

“Beth + I are ready & working hard to prepare for Grassley family thxgiving at the farm,” Grassley wrote at the time. “She never lets me down & im grateful I can count on OLD FAITHFUL.”

Now, Old Faithful has finally been retired.

The unusual farewell quickly attracted enough attention that Beth even received an obituary-style sendoff from The New York Times.

Grassley’s communications director, Claire Slattery, also joined in on the mourning with a tongue-in-cheek request.

“Please respect Team Grassley’s privacy during this difficult time,” she wrote on X.

After nearly half a century of dust, dirt and Thanksgiving preparations, Beth may finally be gone — but Grassley made clear that his beloved vacuum will not be forgotten.